China ahead on drone delivery for customers

As everyone is discussing the Amazon announcement on CBS60 Minutes, it is important to note SF Express in China is already piloting the concept. Pun intended. Even a cake delivery service is testing the use of drones. I do find it interesting that the FAA in the US is not going to provide guidance or regulation on the use of drones till 2015. Australia’s Zookal has been testing drone delivery for textbook rentals. I for one would have never thought there was enough money in textbook rental to sustain a near real time demand delivery model.

Drones also have the chance to really disrupt the just in time delivery model of manufacturing. I could easily see a additive manufacturing, 3d printing, process where the end result popped out into a delivery bin that was then shipped via drone to the customers door. Removing all human touch within the manufacturing process.